--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Death confronts us not unlike the…" description: "\"Death confronts us not unlike the historical battle scene that hangs on the wall of the classroom. It is our task to obscure or quite obliterate the pi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbd/franz-kafka-214_battle_death-confronts-us-not-unlike-the-histor_660093.jpg" --- # Death confronts us not unlike the historical battle scene… ![“Death confronts us not unlike the historical battle scene that hangs on the wall of the classroom. It is our task to obscure or quite obliterate the picture by our deeds while we are still in this world.” quote by Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbd/franz-kafka-214_battle_death-confronts-us-not-unlike-the-histor_660093.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbd/franz-kafka-214_battle_death-confronts-us-not-unlike-the-histor_660093.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbd/franz-kafka-214_battle_death-confronts-us-not-unlike-the-histor_660093.jpg) > “Death confronts us not unlike the historical battle scene that hangs on the wall of the classroom. It is our task to obscure or quite obliterate the picture by our deeds while we are still in this world.” [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life’s fleeting nature urges us to act before our deeds erase the world’s memory. **In simple terms:** We must act before our deeds erase existence. Key Takeaway Act now, leave lasting impact. Themes mortality legacy action impermanence Mood somber thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - activism - art creation - environmental stewardship - personal legacy Key Concepts existentialism memory studies Questions to Reflect On - What legacy do you wish to leave? - How can you preserve meaning in transient moments? A Different Perspective Our actions may be insufficient to prevent loss. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle/) [Classroom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/classroom/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deeds/) [Historical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“Confronting the reality of our own mortality is important because it obliterates all the crappy, fragile, superficial values in life. While most people whittle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-manson/confronting-the-reality-of-our-own-mortality-is-important-because-it/) [Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/) > [A well-managed classroom is a task-oriented and predictable environment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-wong/a-well-managed-classroom-is-a-task-oriented-and-predictable/) [Harry Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-wong/) > [“face the contradiction that looks like u that smells like u that feels like u and push out the violence be unafraid to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asha-bandele/face-the-contradiction-that-looks-like-u-that-smells-like-u-that/) Asha Bandele > [He who confronts the paradoxical exposes himself to reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-d-rrenmatt/he-who-confronts-the-paradoxical-exposes-himself-to-reality/) [Friedrich Durrenmatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-d-rrenmatt/) > [“If someone confronts you with a negative attitude, don’t let it draw you in and don’t fight back with the same weapon, but instead,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roswitha-hedrun/if-someone-confronts-you-with-a-negative-attitude-don-t-let-it-draw/) Roswitha Hedrun > [Abstract painting is abstract. It confronts you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pollock/abstract-painting-is-abstract-it-confronts-you/) [Jackson Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pollock/) > [ Feminism directly confronts the idea that one person or set of people \[has\] the right to impose definitions of reality on others. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-stanley/feminism-directly-confronts-the-idea-that-one-person-or-set-of-people/) Liz Stanley > [It is a condition which confronts us-not a theory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-cleveland/it-is-a-condition-which-confronts-us-not-a-theory/) [Grover Cleveland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-cleveland/) > [When silence confronts us, the question to which there is no answer rings out in the silence. That ultimate "why," that great "why" is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eug-ne-ionesco/when-silence-confronts-us-the-question-to-which-there-is-no-answer/) [Eugene Ionesco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eug-ne-ionesco/) > [A Man Is Only As Big As The Problem That Confronts Him](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-ferguson/a-man-is-only-as-big-as-the-problem-that-confronts-him/) Cole Ferguson > [He shall fare well who confronts circumstances aright.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/he-shall-fare-well-who-confronts-circumstances-aright/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [“Evil is never in a rush. It creeps up slowly. It doesn't hide, but confronts you in broad daylight. It gives decades of warnings,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amish-tripathi/evil-is-never-in-a-rush-it-creeps-up-slowly-it-doesn-t-hide-but/) [Amish Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amish-tripathi/) > [The best thing, on 'Question Time,' is when the reality confronts the rhetoric.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-bruce/the-best-thing-on-question-time-is-when-the-reality-confronts-the/) [Fiona Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-bruce/) > [“Ignorance is bliss until one confronts it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cb-smith/ignorance-is-bliss-until-one-confronts-it/) [CB Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cb-smith/) > [A choice which confronts every one of us at every moment is this: Shall we permit our fellow men to know us as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-jourard/a-choice-which-confronts-every-one-of-us-at-every-moment-is-this/) [Sidney Jourard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-jourard/) ## More by Franz Kafka > [ “The tremendous world I have inside my head. But how \[to\] free myself and free it without being torn to pieces. And a thousand… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/the-tremendous-world-i-have-inside-my-head-but-how-to-free-myself-and/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [What I write is different from what I say, what I say is different from what I think, what I think is different from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/what-i-write-is-different-from-what-i-say-what-i-say-is-different/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [“A fine setting for a fit of despair,” it occurred to him, “if I were only standing here by accident instead of design.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/a-fine-setting-for-a-fit-of-despair-it-occurred-to-him-if-i-were-only/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [“Ali svi se slažu u tome da se ne podižu lakomislene optužbe i da se sud, kad jedanput nekog optuži i kad je uvjeren…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/ali-svi-se-sla-u-u-tome-da-se-ne-podi-u-lakomislene-optu-be-i-da-se/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [My job is unbearable to me because it conflicts with my only desire and my only calling, which is literature. Since I am nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/my-job-is-unbearable-to-me-because-it-conflicts-with-my-only-desire/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [Faith, like a guillotine. As heavy, as light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/faith-like-a-guillotine-as-heavy-as-light/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [You need not even listen, just wait...the world will offer itself freely to you, unmasking itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/you-need-not-even-listen-just-wait-the-world-will-offer-itself-freely/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [“I will cross hundreds of seas and oceans without sinking to reach you, see your eyes and sink completely into their depths.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/i-will-cross-hundreds-of-seas-and-oceans-without-sinking-to-reach-you/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [I have no memory for things I have learned, nor things I have read, nor things experienced or heard, neither for people nor events;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/i-have-no-memory-for-things-i-have-learned-nor-things-i-have-read-nor/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [“This sounds crazy, but it is so. Nor is it perhaps really love when I say that for me you are the most beloved;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/this-sounds-crazy-but-it-is-so-nor-is-it-perhaps-really-love-when-i/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [The more horses you yoke the quicker everything will go - not the rending of the block from its foundation, which is impossible, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/the-more-horses-you-yoke-the-quicker-everything-will-go-not-the/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [Martyrs do not underrate the body, they allow it to be elevated on the cross. In this they are at one with their antagonists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/martyrs-do-not-underrate-the-body-they-allow-it-to-be-elevated-on-the/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [The true way goes over a line that, rather than spanning heights, is hardly above the ground. It appears more decidedly to make one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/the-true-way-goes-over-a-line-that-rather-than-spanning-heights-is/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [Every new discovery is assumed at once into the sum total of knowledge, and with that ceases in a sense to be a discovery;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/every-new-discovery-is-assumed-at-once-into-the-sum-total-of/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [“Sou de pedra. Sou a minha própria pedra tumular, sem nenhum interstício para a dúvida ou para a fé, para o amor ou para…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/sou-de-pedra-sou-a-minha-pr-pria-pedra-tumular-sem-nenhum-interst-cio/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) [Explore all 741 Franz Kafka quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) ## More Battle quotes > [In the battle for police reform, accountability and justice, Americans don't have to re-invent the wheel. We just have to revoke the thing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-johnson/in-the-battle-for-police-reform-accountability-and-justice-americans/) [Jason Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-johnson/) > [This is, for an accomplished Latino, an accomplished African American, an accomplished anyone who disproves stereotypes, it's a constant battle in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/this-is-for-an-accomplished-latino-an-accomplished-african-american/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [“Which people take the time to care for their souls, these days? I reckon not many. But...hear this: I think that maybe in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-fletcher/which-people-take-the-time-to-care-for-their-souls-these-days-i/) [Susan Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-fletcher/) > [Only great and general battles can produce great results](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/only-great-and-general-battles-can-produce-great-results/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [Life is a battle of wits, and many people have to fight it unarmed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/life-is-a-battle-of-wits-and-many-people-have-to-fight-it-unarmed/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [Pain held no terror for him. Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [There's little in taking or giving, There's little in water or wine: This living, this living, this living, Was never a project of mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/there-s-little-in-taking-or-giving-there-s-little-in-water-or-wine/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [When I step into the batters box. The fans, the noise, the cheers, they all disappear. For that moment, the world is just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/when-i-step-into-the-batters-box-the-fans-the-noise-the-cheers-they/) [Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/) > [I knew Jimmy Dean. He tested for 'Battle Cry'. Paul Newman tested for 'Battle Cry'. I did nine tests to finally get that role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/i-knew-jimmy-dean-he-tested-for-battle-cry-paul-newman-tested-for/) [Tab Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/) > [“When we let go of our battles and open our heart to things as they are, then we come to rest in the present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/when-we-let-go-of-our-battles-and-open-our-heart-to-things-as-they/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [Love is a battle," said Marie-Claude, still smiling. "And I plan to go on fighting. To the end." Love is a battle?" said Franz.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/love-is-a-battle-said-marie-claude-still-smiling-and-i-plan-to-go-on/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [It's almost ironic sitting here watching stories about Norm's courageous 'battle' with cancer. He actually did a bit on stage about how stupid that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macdonald/it-s-almost-ironic-sitting-here-watching-stories-about-norm-s/) [Neil Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macdonald/) > [“Other folk thought the Rage was simple bloodlust, a berserk savagery that neither knew nor cared what its target was, and so it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-weber/other-folk-thought-the-rage-was-simple-bloodlust-a-berserk-savagery/) [David Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-weber/) > [The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-millett/the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imposition-of-male-authority/) [Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-millett/) > [For many people it's Facebook, or sports on TV, whatever it is. I have my own demons that I battle. But whatever they are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/for-many-people-it-s-facebook-or-sports-on-tv-whatever-it-is-i-have/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) [Browse all 4,526 Battle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Death confronts us not unlike the historical battle scene that hangs on the wall of the classroom. It is our task to obscure or quite obliterate the picture by our deeds while we are still in this world.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Franz Kafka" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/death-confronts-us-not-unlike-the-historical-battle-scene-that-hangs/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Battle" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/death-confronts-us-not-unlike-the-historical-battle-scene-that-hangs/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbd/franz-kafka-214_battle_death-confronts-us-not-unlike-the-histor_660093.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbd/franz-kafka-214_battle_death-confronts-us-not-unlike-the-histor_660093.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbd/franz-kafka-214_battle_death-confronts-us-not-unlike-the-histor_660093.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Death confronts us not unlike the historical battle scene that hangs on the wall of the classroom. It is our…” — Franz Kafka", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Franz Kafka", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Death confronts us not unlike the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/death-confronts-us-not-unlike-the-historical-battle-scene-that-hangs/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/death-confronts-us-not-unlike-the-historical-battle-scene-that-hangs/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```